


If There Are Two Earths (It Could Be Another Me)

by jhopefulyoongi



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Gangsters, M/M, References to Drugs, Thughao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-27
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-11-05 08:49:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11010039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jhopefulyoongi/pseuds/jhopefulyoongi
Summary: Jisoo wants Minghao to change his life around, but Minghao doesn't have any inspiration to actually do so





	1. Chapter 1

“A coffee shop?” Minghao asked with a antagonising smirk. “Really, Josh? You  _ have _ changed.”

 

Joshua ignored him in favor of adjusting the cuffs of his white shirt. If you were close enough, you could make out the tattoo on his chest and the ones littering his arms through the thin but crisp material.

 

‘You look like a damn office worker.” Minghao said.

 

“I  _ am _ a office worker.” Joshua snorted. 

 

“Please don't remind me.” Minghao said, picking up his paper cup and taking a sip. The black coffee was from the shop they were sitting in, but the Red Bull had came from his jacket. “You used to be so fun.” Minghao complained, kicking out his feet under the table. 

 

“I wasn't fun, Minghao. I was an idiot.” Joshua said, setting his lips around the straw of his iced caramel macchiato. 

 

“Let me guess, your little princess told you that?” Minghao asked. 

 

“Leave Seungcheol out of this, alright?” Josh hissed, and for a moment Minghao could see a flash of the man Joshua used to be in his eyes. Minghao knew that if he valued his life, it was best to leave Joshua’s fiancee out of their arguments. It happened all the time and it was always about the same shit. Just because Joshua had left the gang and turned his life around it didn't mean that he could to. It didn't mean he wanted to either. 

 

“Then why are you meeting up with me if I’m just an idiot?” Minghao asked the same question that he always did. He had never been good at getting a rise out of Joshua, no one ever was, he was so calm and collected, but it never stopped him from trying every time. 

 

The only exception to that rule was, once again, Seungcheol. He was a cute thing with wavy hair, red lips and big does eyes (not to mention his thick thighs and great ass) and Joshua had been following him around like a lost puppy ever since they had met. 

 

But also once again, Minghao didn't actually want to die.

 

“You’re not an idiot, Minghao. I know you can do better than this.” Joshua looked like such a fucking dad. One that was about to reach out and hold his hands as he tried to ration with him.

 

“Since when are you one to shame Jeonghan?” Minghao asked. Jeonghan had picked them both up off the streets as kids when he was just a kid himself. Minghao and Jeonghan were close, but Jeonghan and Joshua had been completely inseparable for all the years they had worked together. He knew Jeonghan was crushed when Joshua left, but he allowed people to leave when they wanted to, so he let Joshua go. They hadn't spoken to each other since.

 

Joshua clicked his tongue irritably. “I’m not talking about what you do for Jeonghan, I could live with it if it was just that.  I’m talking about all the shady shit you do on the side.” 

 

“Are you really acting like you never sold on the side?” Minghao laughed.

 

“Once again, Minghao, it was because I was a fucking idiot! And on top of that, you have some dangerous customers, more dangerous ones then I ever did.” 

 

“You keep saying I’m not an idiot, but I have a feeling you think I’m a even bigger one than you were.” Minghao said, starting to get angry. 

 

“Please.” Joshua begged. “Hao, get out of it while you still can. It's not too late, I promise. It never is.” 

 

Minghao wanted to scream at him.  _ What reason do I even have to get out of it? What’s the point? So what if it's dangerous? So what if I could die any day? What is there for me to even live for?  _ But he didn't. He kept his mouth shut and just stared Joshua down. 

 

“Jisoo.”

 

The sweet voice broke both of them out of their stare down. 

 

_ Jisoo _ , Minghao mocked mentally.

 

“Are you done shopping, honey?” Jisoo, said, preparing to get up from his seat. 

 

“Yeah. But I can go do something else if you two aren’t done.” Seungcheol said kindly. Kindly. The man was so kind, so innocent, so trusting and open, Minghao could see, somehow, why Jisoo had fallen for him. And why he had placed that giant rock on his finger the second he was able too. 

 

Or rather, he could have seen why if they had lived normal lives. 

 

“It's alright, hyung.” Minghao said. Not even he could really be mean to the guy. “We’re done for the day.” 

 

Joshua-Or should he say Jisoo now? Finally got up from his seat and opened up his wallet. Minghao didn't stop him from throwing down the twenty thousand won bill down on the table. 

 

“I’ll see you next week, Hao.”

 

“Sure.” Minghao said, not looking at him. He raised a hand in a small wave. “Bye, princess.” He said to Seungcheol.

 

Seungcheol flinched a little bit, and Jisoo looked like he wanted to rip his head off. But before he could, Seungcheol grabbed Jisoo by the hand and led him out of the cafe as quickly as possible. 

 

Minghao sighed and leaned back in the booth, closing his eyes when the white ceiling started to spin a bit. 

 

“Are you okay, sir?” 

 

Minghao opened his eyes to see an angel staring down at him. He was wearing a black apron with the cafe’s name printed on the front in blue and pink and  the most concerned expression on his perfectly crafted face. 

 

“Too much caffeine.” Minghao said, holding up the empty can of Red Bull next to him. 

 

“Red Bull and Coffee? Are you trying to kill yourself?” The man asked him as he started to clean up the table. 

 

“Not today.” Minghao said. 

 

“Did you and your friend get into a fight?” He asked curiously, taking what was probably more time than needed to clean up the leftover cups and small white plates that had previously carried two chocolate scones. Obviously picked out by Jisoo. 

 

“Yeah. Nothing new thought. The same fight we always have.” Minghao laughed bitterly while also wondering why he was even telling a stranger these things. Minghao told himself it was because he was pretty, he had always liked pretty things, and that was enough for him. 

 

“Can I ask what about?” 

“Lets just say he isn't too pleased with my current job. At least with one of them.” Minghao said, getting up and intending to leave it at that and go. 

 

But he was stopped by a soft smile. “If you’re interested, we’re hiring right now.” 

 

Minghao wanted to laugh. But he didn't, and it had nothing to do with the light in the busboys eyes. 

 

“I’ll think about it.” he said. _ Not really. _

 

A card appeared before his eyes and he smiled warmly at Minghao. “If you’re interested, give me a call.” 

 

“This place makes people call the busboy for a job interview?” Minghao asked, and this time he did laugh. 

 

“Oh.” The man suddenly looked embarrassed. “Um, I’m the busboy. Well I am. Kind of. I;m also the owner, is what I mean. One of the kids called out thought, so I picked up his shift. I’m Junhui by the way.”

 

“A pretty name for a pretty face.” Minghao said, taking the card. 

 

Junhui giggled, and it was the purest sound he had ever heard in his entire life. “Thanks. What's your name?”

 

“Minghao.” 

 

“Well, Minghao.” The way Junhui said his name was nice. “I have other tables to get to, but call me sometime. For the job, I mean.” And with one more cute smile, Junhui picked everything up and spinned around, heading for the kitchen behind the counter. 

 

Minghao left and while he did, he wondered if Jisoo would want them to meet here again for their weekend meeting. 

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a look inside cheolsoos life

Jisoo liked watching Seungcheol get ready in the morning. He would sit at his vanity, wooden and painted white. It was something Jisoo had picked up off of the street and repaired himself when they first started seeing each other. He didn't want to buy Seungcheol things with dirty money, he wanted to give him honest things, from honest work and honest money. Someone had left it out on the street, and he picked it up, carried it back to Jeonghan’s place, found sandpaper and paint in the basement and did the best he could. He bought stencils of flowers and blue craft paint and decorated the wood around the mirror with flowers, bought it with money from the job he had picked up lifting and loading heavy boxes at a small packaging place downtown. He let it sit in his room for months until their four month anniversary, where he gave it to Seungcheol as a present. He wrapped it in plain white paper and had watched with nervous eyes as he opened it, afraid of what he would think of it. Seungcheol’s eyes had brightened up when he unwrapped it, had seemed proud of him when Jisoo admitted he had repaired it himself, had kissed him and given him chocolates he had made himself and a pink sweater. 

 

Seungcheol would sit on a little blue and cushioned stool at that vanity every morning, and Jisoo would stand by their closet and button up his shirt, put on his tie, while he watched him put on his cosmetic headband, put on lotion, foundation, counselor, and whatever chapstick flavor he chose for the day. Sometimes he would put on a little bit of blush for some color when he hadn't slept well the night before. Seungcheol had nightmares sometimes and would lay in bed after he woke up from them, huddled into Jisoo’s side in silence until the morning. And then he would watch as Seungcheol took off his headband, set it to the side, and brush his hair, then he would either put in some cream to encourage his natural waves or plug in his straighten and calm them. 

 

When he was done he would turn his head and see Jisoo watching him, and laugh in embarrassment and Jisoo would return his laughter with his own, and then put his hands on his hips and kiss Seungcheol when he stood up. Sometimes Seungcheol would undo his tie and tie it again for him, and other times Jisoo got it right and Seungcheol would just run a hand over it and smooth it down. 

 

Seungcheol would make them coffee for their routes to work while Jisoo cleaned up any mess leftover from the night before. Jisoo would leave before him, leaving another kiss, and then another, on Seungcheol’s soft lips before he left for the day, the lunch Seungcheol packed for him in his messenger bag, and he then he would walk down the street to the subway entrance, stay on for two stops, and get off near his office and work until 5 o’clock. 

 

Jisoo remembered when he used to make fun of the suits working nine to five jobs with Jeonghan and Minghao, sitting on a wall with them and laughing at those who passed while they ate their either cheap or stolen food. He always wondered how someone could live such a boring life, only to find out, years later, that it was better than he thought it was. It wasn't exciting, but it wasn't boring either. 

 

When he came home, Seungcheol would be making them something simple for dinner. The two of them would sit together at the kitchen island and talk about their day together. Jisoo liked hearing it, he liked hearing about what happened to Seungcheol to work that day, and he knew by the way Seungcheol put down his chopsticks or spoon and looked at him while he spoke that he liked hearing what he had to say as well. 

 

It was a simple life, a good one, and he was happy. It was a life he never thought he would be able to live but now was able to. He always thought that it was all because of Seungcheol that he had gotten out and been able to do all of this, but Seungcheol’s always told him that he just gave Jisoo a helping hand and that he did all of the hard work. 

 

Jisoo loved him, oh how he loved him. They were supposed to be married in a year and Jisoo couldn't wait for that day to come. He spent four months worth of paychecks from the factory, his first real job, on Seungcheol’s engagement ring. He was able to save the money up because he was still living with Jeonghan back then, he had no bills to pay, no real expenses. He put the money aside when he moved out, knowing what it was for, what he one day intending on doing, but he let it sit and wait, and put in some more money when he got his office job, and he was glad he waited, because he was able to give Seungcheol an even better ring. 

 

Seungcheol slept with his ring on, showered with it on, had never left his finger since Jisoo had first slipped it on him. 

 

They would hold hands from across the table sometimes and Jisoo would run his thumb over the ring and Seungcheol would give him the most loving smile every time and Jisoo’s heart could burst just looking at his face. 

 

That was a normal day for him, for them, a normal weekday, when things were going well.

 

But it wasn't always like that. Sometimes bad things happened, sometimes Jisoo would run into the wrong people, people from the past on his way to or from work. Sometimes Jisoo would come home with a bloody lip and bruises and Seungcheol would cry while he patched him up because Jisoo still hated going to hospitals. Sometimes Seungcheol would have someone come into his work and threaten him, and Jisoo would have to go to his work and walk him home because he was too afraid to leave. 

 

Jisoo’s past haunted them, sometimes Jisoo thought about returning to his old life, about breaking things off with Seungcheol and joining Jeonghan again, if only to keep Seungcheol safe. Sometimes he was afraid that Seungcheol would break it off because he couldn't handle it anymore. But he never did, he never even brought it up, after Jisoo got the call and they were walking home together, Seungcheol would never say anything and they would pop into a convenience store and have ramen and cold and sweet milk tea for their dinner, and Seungcheol would say something to make him laugh and they would talk together like they always did. 

 

This life was better, but it wasn't always easy. 

 

Still, he thought Minghao could do better, that even though it could be hard at times, he deserved a clean and honest life, and that he could live well. 

 

He just hoped that, one day, he would finally take his advice. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another chapter. still not sure if there will ever be more to this though, so im keeping it marked as completed

**Author's Note:**

> this was just an idea I had and I didnt even plan on actually writing any of it down but I did and idk if I'll even continue it lemme know if I should I guess


End file.
